


To Make Them Proud

by Laitie



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Big Hero 6 (Comics)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-22 12:39:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10697196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laitie/pseuds/Laitie
Summary: Another child prodigy? Nani Russo is 14 years old and just joined Hiro's graduating class, including taking a place in the lab. She's the rudest person on the planet, but perhaps there's a reason why. Hiro can't help himself. After how all his friends helped him through everything, he has to try to help Nani through whatever is destroying her inside.





	1. A New Student

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very rough draft. I'm not even sure why I'm posting this up. Please be polite with constructive criticism. I'm doing something wrong, I can tell. But I'm not sure what.
> 
> I also notice that Hiro's doing more observing than anything else. That's not normal for him, but I can't think of how he would act or react. Please help?
> 
> Finally, I'm kinda combining the movie and the comics because I don't have a lot of access to the comics, although I do prefer what I've read so far of the comics as opposed to the movie.

“Everyone, this is Nani Russo.” Hiro blinked at the sight of a girl looking his age being introduced to the class. Another super-smart person? “She’ll be joining our class as of today. I expect you all to give her a warm welcome.”

He looked her over a bit as she was welcomed by the class and given an empty seat near the front. Her skin was olive-toned, a lot like his. Her hair was long and pitch-black. She wore small, white, rectangular glasses over her dark brown eyes. Her clothes were brightly colored, but her face was sour and focused. She looked miserable.

Hiro watched her throughout the class. She was silent, taking notes as she listened to the teacher. She noticed him staring once and gave him such a glare that he decided he didn’t want to be caught again.

After class, he tried to catch up with her. If she was super-smart like him, maybe she would need a friend. He certainly hadn’t had any friends growing up. But she basically raced ahead to wherever her destination was, and he couldn’t catch her.

Later that day, in the lab, he noticed an area cleaned out and set aside, with a new desk, computer, and stands in it. 

“What’s that for?” He asked Honey Lemon. 

She grinned. “We’re getting someone new!” she said excitedly. “She’ll be here any minute, too!”

As if she were speaking of the devil himself, Mr. Niwa walked into the lab with none other than Nani Russo. 

“Everyone!” Mr. Niwa called. “I have someone I’d like you to meet!” Momentarily, everyone in the lab at the time had gathered ‘round the teacher and the young, new pupil. “This is Nani Russo,” he said. “She’s got some lab work to do here.”

“Hi, Nani,” Honey Lemon said with a grin, holding her hand out to shake. “It’s great to meet you!”

Nani gave the blond a scaled-down version of the glare Hiro had received earlier. She didn’t take Honey’s hand, either. 

“Thanks,” Nani said, shouldering her bag and stepping between everyone towards her new workspace. There was silence as everyone stared.

“She’s...a little nervous,” Mr. Niwa said. Everyone turned to him. “Just give her some time.” With that, he left the scholars to their own devices. After a few awkward minutes, they went back to work. Except Hiro. He went over to Nani.

“Hey, that was rude, y’know,” he said, watching her set up her computer and place some headphones up on the stands. 

“So?” she asked.

“So!?” he echoed. “So...You should apologize or something.”

She rolled her eyes. “I have work to do.”

“So do all of us,” he said. “But it’s hard to get work done when you can’t even be polite to the rest of the people here.” 

She turned and faced him. “Go. Away.” 

“Like Mr. Niwa said,” Gogo said, approaching. “Give her some time. Let’s go.” 

With a sigh, Hiro gave up and went with Gogo, back to work.


	2. Chapter 2

“What’s with her?” Hiro asked the next day at breakfast with his friends. 

“Who?” Fred asked.

“Nani,” Wasabi said. “A new girl that’s joined us in the lab.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard about her,” Fred said. “She’s really smart, right?”

“She’s about Hiro’s age,” Honey noted. “Which is probably why her attitude’s bugging Hiro so much. Isn’t it, Hiro?” she asked, turning to him.

“What?” he asked. He shook his head. “No! I just...didn’t like how rude she was to you!”

“It’s too bad she’s so miserable,” Wasabi added. “She probably would have been a good friend for you.”

“Not all kid geniuses like each other,” Hiro said.

“But it’s not like they’re common,” Gogo pointed out. 

Hiro frowned. 

“I think Mr. Niwa was right,” Honey said. “I think she’s just nervous. She’ll loosen up. We just need to give her time.”

Unfortunately, Honey was wrong. She didn’t loosen up. Days turned into weeks, and all Nani did was show up, work and leave. She never said a word to anyone. Hiro was beginning to think normalizing the girl into the culture of the lab was a lost cause. Until he and Honey overheard her on the phone that one day.

They were on their way to the lab when they head Nani’s voice coming from around the corner.

“Hey, Dad!” Nani said excitedly. Odd, of course. But there it was. Hiro and Honey looked at each other and edged just a little closer to the corner. “I can’t wait for dinner tonight. I’m gonna make your favorite! We’re gonna--” She fell silent. Her dad on the other line must have been talking. “Oh...” she said, her voice quickly falling to disappointment. “Really?... OK...yeah, I understand... OK, Dad....Yeah....Love you, too....OK....b--” She didn’t finish her good-bye, but she was obviously done talking. 

Hiro and Honey shared their frowns. She had been so excited. What had her dad said that upset her so much?

They didn’t get away from the corner in time, and Nani spotted them. Her eyes were red and welling with tears. “What are you doing!?” she demanded as she rounded the corner.

Caught red-handed, the two merely sighed. 

“We’re sorry,” Honey said. “We couldn’t help it. You sounded so happy. We just--”

“You just eavesdropped!” the girl cried. “This was none of your business!” Hiro noticed her tears begin to drop.

“Nani,” Honey tried. 

“Don’t you dare eavesdrop on my life again!” she yelled at them before turning and storming off.

“What a b--” Hiro started, but Honey interrupted him.

“Poor girl,” she said.

By the time they reached the lab, Nani had already left. 

Wasabi was at his station, and Hiro walked over. “Did you see Nani?” he asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “Something looked wrong. But she wouldn’t talk to me when I asked if she was OK.”

The teenager frowned. 

“We think something went wrong with her dad,” Honey said, coming over.

“Really?” Wasabi asked. “How do you know that?”

Honey told him about the conversation she and Hiro had just overheard.

“That sounds awful,” Wasabi noted. “Hope she’ll be OK.” 

“Wait, I have an idea!” Honey suddenly said. “Why don’t we throw her a dinner?”

Hiro gaped at her. “What?” he asked.

“It’ll be great! We could have it at the bakery. Or Fred’s house. Maybe she’ll lighten up then.” She gave a broad grin. 

“It’s worth a try,” Wasabi said with a shrug.

“OK,” Hiro said, though still uncertain. “We’ll try it.”

They made a plan to invite her the next day.


End file.
